Matthew 1:20, “But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.’”
In this world where there are so many conflicting views and voices, what is the factor that holds sway in your heart? What is the prevailing influence when it comes to your daily life and decisions? Because what dominates your heart determines your point of persuasion.
In Matthew 1, Joseph was faced with the decision to accept the pressure of the majority or submit to God’s authority. He could deny the voice of God, act under anxiety, and divorce Mary to avoid the associated consequences of this seemingly controversial conception, carnally speaking, or he could choose to act faith, to ignore the pressure of the opinions of worldly people and allow his point of persuasion to be the Holy Spirit.
Are you pressured by the majority or listening to the voice of God in your heart?Many today slip into the seeming safety net of taking decisions which are agreeable to the majority, often by responding emotionally or intellectually instead of listening to their hearts, where the voice of God whispers. It is not enough to have a passion and a zeal for God; you must be deeply grounded in the Word of God because you are going to encounter the trappings and trials of this world, which can easily cause you to drift from the Divine purpose of God for your life, to the point where you end up taking decisions without reference to God.
Joseph was not too preoccupied with worldly concerns to miss the voice of God. He positioned himself to be available for the Holy Spirit’s influence. Similarly, in Luke 1:38, Mary chose to humbly accept the Word planted in her, that would save her by saying, ‘Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to Your Word’. When the Word dominates your heart, the Holy Spirit will influence your decisions in the light of that Word.
Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to influence your decisions as you consider what is right in the light of God’s Word. Amen.